Beaune to Dijon

History Tour South - North Conception : Jean-Pierre Garcia, Université de Bourgogne Rédaction : Guillaume Grillon & Jean-Pierre Garcia, Université de Bourgogne Avec la collaboration de Charlotte L’Hermitte, Association des Climats de Bourgogne The history of the Climats The Climats, a named area with a hierarchical structure set within defined boundaries have, over the centuries, revealed their full potential through crus and cuvées that are distinct from each other yet reflect a culture that claims very ancient roots, a culture specific to this winemaking region, a culture that is totally bound up in an expression of wine and place. Like a work of art created jointly by Man and Nature, the Climats combine land, grape variety, expertise and hierarchical characteristics. The diversity of the 1,200 Climats in Côte-d’Or is an age-old heritage in its own right, a living reminder of the culture visible in the scenic unity linking Dijon and Les Maranges, through stone-built huts and cabins, stills and cellars, monastic wine stores, vignerons’ houses, the Hospices de Beaune and the ducal palace in Dijon etc. This trip mirrors each stage in the birth of the Climats as part of the Burgundy vineyards, revealing an outstanding heritage that is the only one of its kind in the world. Beginning in Beaune Arriving in Dijon: Art gallery Information: • By car, the trip tkes 3 hours depending on the traffic. • This trip cannot be done by bike because of the many places to visit. • Follow the suggested chronological order because the trip has been designed to show the historical emergence of the Climats de Bourgogne from a geographical point of view © Baudoin 1. Wine growing and ancient civilisations in Côte-d’Or Vines were introduced into Southern Gaul by the Greeks in the 6th century B.C. In Burgun- dy, archaeological data shows that they were grown here circa 50 A.D. In fact, agricultural engineer Columella and naturalist Pliny the Elder mentioned the growing of vines in the North of Gaul in the 1st century A.D. It was during this period that wines from Gaul began to compete with Italian wines. In 92 A.D., an edict from the Roman emperor, Domitian, demanded that some of the vine stock in Gaul should be removed. The edict was never applied and it was repealed in 280 A.D. by Probus who was already describing Gaul’s vines as “admirable and ancient”. Traces of ancients vines in Savigny-lès-Beaune serve as reminders of winegrowing in ancient times. 1.1. Tourist information – traces of ancient vines in Savigny-lès-Beaune La Cuverie Bouchard (Rue Saint Vincent, Beaune industrial estate) is not open to the public and there are no tours available. Instead, read the following explanation and begin your trip in Aloxe-Corton. An archaeological dig was conducted at “La Champagne” early in 2014, at the foot of the famous hills in Beaune, to try and locate ancient vines. The reason for the dig was a do- cumentary study of two photographs taken on the site in 1962. On them were traces that were difficult to interpret at that time but which are now known to be similar to ancient planting ditches (dating from Roman or mediaeval times), like the ones uncovered some fifteen years ago by archaeologists in France. The only plot of land that had not been deve- loped and that was therefore accessible for a dig was located on the premises of the firm of Bouchard Père et Fils, one of the largest wine merchants in Burgundy. The archaeological sur- vey revealed two distinct areas. The first one included vine planting ditches and provignage trenches. The layout and trenches are suggestive of ancient vines rather than a mediaeval vineyard. The second set of planting ditches and provignage tranches is undoubtedly indicative of more recent winegrowing methods. Roots with fragments of vine in the form of carbon will allow for Carbon 14 dating. The results are currently being analysed and interpreted. © B IV 2. Medieval vineyards on hillsides : the first enclosed vineyards (6th to 14th centuries) As shown by the Gallo-Roman site in Gevrey-Chambertin, until the 7th century A.D. most vineyards were planted in the plains close to villas. This is no longer the case and it was the Lex Burgundionum (6th century) that brought about the change. Firstly, it stated that anybody planting vines on wasteland would become the owner of the land and, secondly, it introduced the first measures to protect vines i.e. enclosures. Their primary purpose was to protect the plants from the animals that were left to roam free and graze at will ; their secondary aim was to promote winegrowing by establishing it firmly and sustainably in this area. During the Middle Ages, the holders of secular authority (emperors, kings, dukes etc.) increased the number of gifts made to the clergy and religious orders (bishops, abbeys etc.) and this led to the sustainable planting of vines on the hills of Burgundy, encouraging the creation of places of excellence within a system of self-sufficiency. 2.1. On the way/Viewpoint - Corton-Charlemagne in Aloxe-Corton (GPS: N 47°04’03’’; E 4°51’25’’) The Climat de Corton-Charlemagne gets its name from the famous emperor who, in 775 A.D., gave the Abbey of Saint-Andoche in Saulieu (a Benedictine abbey to the north-west of Côte- d’Or, founded in the early 8th century over the ruins of an older basilica church) a plot of vines in the village of Corton. The emperor probably did this to save his soul, but it also provided the abbey with significant income. Since the afterlife was a major concern for people in the Middle Ages, donations to the Church were commonplace at that time. Unfortunately, the © Armelle deed of donation has disappeared, probably in the fire that destroyed the basilica church in Saulieu in January 1359 (the sale of wines from the clos helped to finance part of its recons- truction). From the outset, the clos was unusual for its modest size – between 36 and 40 ouvrées, or less than 2 hectares. When it was sold as a national asset during the Revolution, it included 70 ouvrées, or approximately 3 hectares. This meant that Saulieu Abbey had retained and extended the property for more than 1,000 years. Thanks to the donation of the vineyard that bears his name and the quality of the grapes harvested in the Climat, Charle- magne became the most popular historical figure in Aloxe-Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses. His emblem, the two-headed eagle, is to be found on the coats-of-arms of both towns. 2.2. On the way/Viewpoint - The vines of the Autun chapter in Aloxe-Corton (GPS: N 47°03’55’’; E 4°51’36’’) The Côte de Beaune gained an advantage from the presence of the bishopric in Autun, the successor to the Gallo-Roman town of Augustodunum. As the leading figure in the town, the bishop needed vineyards to provide wines for Mass (symbolising the blood of Christ) and receive prestigious guests with the honour their status demanded. The chapter of Autun Cathedral gained an increasing hold on vineyards in the Beaune and Nuits areas between the 7th and 11th centuries. This was particularly so in Aloxe where the very long-standing presence of the canons is referred to in the “Clos du Chapitre”, a vineyard registered as “Les Meix” around which the village seems to have grown. The canons of Autun did not live in Corton. They delegated the care of their land, signing leases for specific periods or, in some cases, for life with vignerons from the village. They did, though, have a representative on site (a “closier”) and they owned several houses and working buildings containing a wine press and tanks. They also had two wine stores and an underground cellar. Through a suc- cession of purchases and exchanges, the Autun chapter extended its landholding and, by 1532, the canons owned 166 ouvrées (just over 7 hectares). When the estate was sold as a national asset during the French Re- volution, it included 245 ouvrées, or 10.5 hectares. The Clos des Meix was only part of the land owned by the © B IV canons of Autun. In Corton, in addition to the ”Clos du Chapitre”, a number of 13th-century names have survived and are present to this day in the names of Climats such as “Corton Belmont” or “Les Cailloux”. If you would like to explore Corton Hill further on another day, we recommend that you download a free app on your smartphone before setting out. It is “Bourgogne Rando Vignes” (available on IOS and Android). For further information: http://www.cotedor-tourisme.com/ bourgogne/randovignes 2.3. Brief stop - Le clos et le cellier de Cîteaux in Meursault (GPS: N 46°58’40’’; E 4°46’16’’) This is private property. No visits available. The Cistercian order resulted from a desire to return to a stricter application of the Rule of St. Benedict (wit- hdrawal from the world, prayer and work). Cistercian monks were therefore destined to be self-sufficient and it was the lay brothers who provided a significant, duty- bound workforce. The Rule authorised the “modest use of wine but not so much as to quench thirst” and allowed the sale of any surplus over and above the needs of the community itself. The Cistercians very quickly turned their attention to self-sufficiency in wine production, as shown by the building of extensive wine stores enclosed by walls.

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